What humidity schedule do you use?

[earthnut]

On a Google search, all the extension websites I found said the humidity should be 60% until day 18, then 80%. Here, it seems a lot of people have the humidity at 40-50% until day 18, then 70%.

What do you do? Have you tried both ways? What do you prefer and why? Why do you think there are different recommendations?

thanks!

 

[speckledhen]

Those are way too high, IMO. The first 18 days should be 50% or under and the last three between 65-75%, preferably right at 70%. At 80%, that will cause all sorts of problems, unabsorbed yolks, unhealed navels, etc. My hatches have for the most part been very clean and I'm don't think I'll be changing what works for me, even to try something different.
Those numbers might be better for waterfowl, but even then, I think they're a bit high.

 

[kstaven]

It is a matter of climate and altitude that causes an egg to lose moisture at a different rate. That is why you see the variation.

 

[earthnut]

Speckled hen, the thing that confuses are is that it seems that both work well, but for different people. I'm sure that the high humidity schedule was developed through research because it seems that all the university extensions recommend it, for chicken eggs. I'm sure both you and they know what they're talking about, so why the different results? I'm following your recommendations, though, btw.

Quote:
But inside the incubator, the humidity would be what you set it at, regardless of the outside climate. Maybe I'm missing something but it seems to me that it wouldn't matter if you were living in Alaska or Costa Rica since the temperature and humidity within the bator would be the same wherever you are.

How would altitude affect moisture loss?

Seems like a long shot, but I wonder if the amount of light has something to do with it? ...

 

[kstaven]

Same reason water boils at different temperature at sea level than 500 feet above or more. Function of pressure and air density.

I had to change settings on incubators when moving from Alberta to BC. The humidity range for alberta didn't allow eggs to drop weight as fast in BC as they would in alberta.

An incubator isn't a closed system.

 

[silkiechicken]

Yeah, Kstaven is right, you have to adjust for your area and what works great for one may result in a total loss for others.

 

[speckledhen]

I suppose that things could be different, but it seems logical to me that the humidity recommendations should be the same, just what you have to do or not do to get it to that reading would vary. For example, if you live in a very rainy climate, you may not have to add any water to get it to 50%, but if you live in the desert, you may have to add water daily to the bator. Same percentage, different procedure.
Whatever works well for you, however, is what you should do. The problem is that you may have some losses through trial and error to find out what works best in your climate, altitude, etc.

 

[Silkie_boi]

Quote:
I though all water's boiling point was 100 C :S

 

[kstaven]

Nope. Water boils at a slightly lower temp the higher you climb. 100 c is based at sea level.

 

[Silkie_boi]

oh rite thx. Just when i was in highschool i always got taught in chemistry tht the boiling point was 100, but ye ai guess it makes sense and is general knowledge tht all standard boiling points are at sea level lol.

Thankyou for correcting me